Dr. Mary Sue Harrison & Jill Bennett

Leading Woman Dr. Mary Sue Harrison founded Today’s Hearing in 1986 to offer Katy area residents help with everything from hearing loss prevention to tinnitus to auditory processing disorders. In her decades of service she has worked with world-famous rock groups like U2, and Aerosmith as well as NASA, developing hearing loss prevention systems for some of the loudest workplaces on earth. Dr. Harrison has been a pillar in the audiology community of West Houston for nearly 40 years and has helped thousands of patients reconnect with the sounds of life.

Dr. Harrison graduated from Southern Methodist University in 1975 with a bachelor of science in communication disorders and from North Texas State University in 1976 with a master of science in audiology. She received her doctorate in audiology from Arizona School of Health Science. She has been in private practice in Katy for over thirty-five years, specializing in tinnitus and hearing aid fittings.

A Team of Leading Women

Dr. Harrison has assembled a team of leading women, including Dr. Patricia Listi and Dr. Jamie Wall, with more than 100 years of combined experience. They offer a wide range of hearing care services. In 2020, they extended their reach into the Sealy area. One of their primary goals is to maintain a warm and welcoming environment in order to reduce the level of anxiety that many clinical settings can create.

When Dr. Harrison established Today’s Hearing she was expecting her daughter Jill Bennett. As she grew, Jill observed her mother daily as Dr. Harrison managed the practice and cared for patients. Jill now serves as practice manager and takes great pride in the community culture they have built together. In recent years, Jill has assumed increasing responsibility for the practice, putting to good use all she learned growing up in the clinic at her mother’s side.

Dr. Harrison and Jill agree that what sets Today’s Hearing apart is the staff itself. All of the eight women employed there are long-term with the practice and all are wives and mothers.

“We constantly support each other through work issues and family issues,” Jill says. “We are constantly adapting, which keeps our priorities strong. It’s a huge blessing.”

In the Katy/Richmond/Fulshear/Sealy area Today’s Hearing is the only truly local family owned and operated audiology practice. Today’s Hearing is independent, unlike big box retail stores or other groups tied to a single manufacturer of hearing aids. This allows flexibility to work with patients to accommodate their needs, schedules and budgets.

Personalized Care

At Today’s Hearing patients find very personalized care. Some patients have been seeing Dr. Harrison and her group for forty years. Three generations of one family have joined them as patients.

Today’s Hearing offers a wide range of diagnostic tests to assess hearing and communication needs. They specialize in treating tinnitus, which often presents as a ringing noise in one or both ears that might be constant or come and go. Tinnitus can be caused by a variety of factors, but with Dr. Harrison and her staff, help is available.

Dr. Harrison and Jill, who has her license to dispense hearing aids, both believe the relationship between the patient and the audiologist and staff make all the difference in hearing aid success. After careful testing, choosing and fitting of the hearing aid, follow up care becomes crucial. Often the front office staff, Lydia Rodriguez, Rachel Ross, Victoria Salinas, and Robyn Hay can help trouble shoot issues due to their long years of experience and outstanding training.

Creative Prevention

Dr. Harrison and her group of professionals don’t just treat hearing loss and tinnitus. They also provide hearing protection. She offers the same services to the general public as she does to famous rock groups. Custom ear protection starts with an ear impression to create a mold. Custom ear plugs created from the mold block out destructive sound. They can also be equipped with ear monitors that help singers hear their own voices on stage, preventing hearing loss and vocal fatigue.

Giving Back

Even as Dr. Harrison is a trailblazer in the audiology community, she prioritizes giving back. When she’s not serving her patients or spending time with her four grandchildren, Dr. Harrison can often be found visiting the Brookwood Community, a home for adults with disabilities in Brookshire, just west of Houston, where she donates hearing aids and audiology care. She also performs hearing and vision screenings at local daycares and preschools. In addition, Jill Bennett has monthly visits to several senior centers for free hearing aid cleanings.

An estimated 5% of school-age children suffer from Auditory Processing Disorder (APD), a condition that affects their ability to process information correctly due to a disconnect between what they are hearing and how their brain responds.

The team at Today’s Hearing stands ready to test and diagnose APD in a caring and comfortable atmosphere. They can reassure parents and caregivers and work with the child on auditory processing skills. Diagnosis of APD by an audiologist also qualifies children for services and accommodations at school under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. These professionals can help determine what the child needs and how those needs can be met in a classroom setting.

If a child does need help hearing, Dr. Harrison and her crew have years of experience testing for and fitting pediatric hearing aids. Financing as well as repair and service are available.